10 May 2022 - Columbus Junction and Last Day in Wapello

 10 May

Steve Nielsen and Doreen

Today is our last day camping in Wapello IA.  This morning we traveled north and west to  a rural Iowa community called Columbus Junction.  The town was platted in 1870 at the junction of two main rail lines.  The Rock Island Line was an east-west railroad built in 1858 and the north–south Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Minnesota Railroad (BCR&M) line was built in 1870.

With the railroads came people, businesses, supplies and money, and this was the pattern for many towns in Iowa, and other states for that matter.  Serious growth came from 1960-2000 with the coming of a meat processing plant.  The town has seen immigration of those working in the meat processing plant, primarily from Burma.  Population as of the 2020 census was 1830.  

Our primary reason for visiting Columbus Junction was it's famous "swinging bridge" and it is the home of one of Doreen's childhood neighbors from Cedar Falls, Steve Nielsen.  She had attempted to make contact with him but had been unsuccessful.  

The Swinging Bridge of Columbus Junction has quite a history!  These signs tell most of the tale:

Talking with one of the locals. it all started back in  1886 when residents on the other side of the gully wanted an easier way to cross. So the bridge connects third and fourth streets.   It is amazing the present bridge was built in 1922 and is just supported by two 262 ft long cables!!  

Cable anchor point

So away we went!  The bridge lives up to it's name with significant "swing" as you walk across.  I tried several different ways of stepping to minimize the swing, but none had a huge impact! 

Here we go!

A video of Doreen out ahead of me.

Locks on the cable. A tradition started in Paris with couples inscribe their names on locks, locking them on a bridge and throw the keys into the river. The ritual symbolizes "love locked forever". 

A trail and another small bridge below

A view from the other side.

On the other side of the bridge we walked up to a flower garden area where they were planting flowers.

Monarch Garden

Secured greenhouse area

Tree of Life

 Doreen struck up a conversation with Twyla Peters and Doreen asked if by chance she knew her old neighbor, Steve Nielsen.  She said she knew Steve and his wife Bev very well, in fact they were to be there at any time to help with the flowers!  

Doreen talking with Twyla

Soon Bev arrived and she called Steve and he arrived!  Doreen and Steve had quite a conversation talking about their siblings and the old neighborhood in Cedar Falls.  Wow, what a small world!

After their visit we headed back towards Wapello with a quick stop in a local store to buy some potato chips that originated in southeast Iowa - Sterzings.  These chips are now available throughout Iowa at HyVee stores and other places, but for years they were only available in a small area around Burlington. They have a unique flavor and I love them!!   Since my birthplace is Mount Pleasant not far from here, I have memories of eating Sterzings potato chips as a child when we came back to visit our grand parents!  

My sister Karen ordered me a case of them and had them sent to my deployed location in Iraq during the war and that was a real treat!

So even though you can buy them in Ankeny now, I seldom do because I really don't need the calories.  But it seemed only appropriate to buy some while we were here.  

Back in the campground we had lunch and then Doreen made connections with a lady in one of the antique stores downtown.  We drove down there and picked up a couple items at a bargain price, stopped to refuel the truck in preparation for our departure tomorrow (OUCH!), and then back to the campground to empty and flush tanks and do all that pre-departure stuff we do every time.  Liberty went for a walk and we settled in to watch the Cubs at San Diego.

Just a suggestion ;-)

Tomorrow morning we head south to Burlington and then east through Illinois to Remington IN for a couple nights before we land in Elkhart IN.  About 268 miles which is a longer day for us.

Next report, Caboose Lake RV Park, Remington IN.  

Thanks for tagging along!